Comparing British Welfare Systems with 2 Other Countries

A 2000 word comparative review of the ways different countries approach welfare, as discussed on the unit. The aim of this essay is to discuss and compare the British Welfare system with Germany and Sweden’s welfare systems. A welfare system is the structure of welfare provisions and services that provide a specific social need, but it is not only provided or organised solely by the government (Blakemore, 2001). It is a view that is rooted in individual exchanges between five organisations (State/Government, Market/Private Sector, Family/Kin networks, Local Communities and Civil Society).It reflects the history and cultures of different countries around the world (Haralambos, 2012). It is these providers that assume principal responsibilities of how welfare systems are organised and how they are worked for the welfare of its people in matters of health care, education, employment, and social security (Haralambos & Holborn, 2012b). The essay will focus on Adult Disability benef its and describe which of the main provider delivers disability benefits for the short-term and long term unemployed.The essay will also describe how they work and what patterns of provision is provided for the disabled. Then comparisons will be made on how the British welfare approaches on disability payments are provided and how they work, and I will examine the differences and similarities to each countries welfare system. The structure of the essay is based on a comparative method systematically designed for equivalences, similarities and shared common features. According to (Landman, 2004) the selection process involves two main types of research designs.Comparing different results across similar countries is known as ‘most similar systems’ and comparing similar outcomes across different countries known as ‘most different systems’. Either way using similarities and differences of different countries is meant to uncover what is common to each country (L andman, 2004, p28). The methodology approach is to select a ‘small –N’ (a few countries) and use the ‘trine’ method of involving three countries (Lewis, 2012). The method identified common features of the British welfare state with that of Germany and Sweden.Classification is a way of grouping common features which are mutual with other countries (Lewis, 2012). All 3 countries have a welfare system for those who have full or permanent disabilities. In order for things to be comparable they have to share certain features like welfare systems and have common features, called equivalences. Most countries have common features such as institutions, policies and services without these common features a comparison cannot be made. The essay will draw on an implicit approach rather than explicit because it is the British welfare system that comparisons are being made.All countries provide certain benefits for those who have full and permanent disabilities but they differ in the types of benefits they provide. Studies reviewed showed that some countries have changed part or the entire financial burden of short-term benefits from governments onto employers and private organisations. Disability benefits are provided by the state or local governments by all three countries however, in the UK only short term benefits are provided but in Germany and Sweden both short term and time limited benefits are provided for the disabled (Mitra, 2009). In the United Kingdom, the disability employment rate has been at 40%† (Huang et al, 2009, p. 46). The Liberal state of the United Kingdom faced major crisis of social and economic modernisation at the end of the Second World War. It was David Lloyd George and Winston Churchill who led the drive for what became the National Insurance Act of 1911, which brought in disability insurance. In fact, the reconstruction of welfare in the UK involved a set of relationship between the state, the market and th e family (Clarke & Logan, 1993).The Disability and Carers Service, which is part of the Department of Work & Pension (DWP) has the responsibility of providing benefits for people on benefits such as DLA. DLA is a tax-free benefit to help with extra costs you may have because your’re disabled, this is given to all claimants whether they are working or not (Directgov). Some people who make a claim for DLA may be asked to have a medical examination. Working tax credits was introduced in 2003 along with disability element to help people stay in work or to return to work (Mitra, 2009).Then the 2005 Disability Discrimination Act came into force (Haralambos & Holborn, 2009). (Burchardt, 2000) cited that according to the European Commission (1998), people with disabilities have low levels of participation in society and the employment rate for people with disabilities is 20-30% lower than people without disabilities (Huang, 2009). From 2013 Disability Living Allowance for disabled pe ople aged 16 to 64 will be replaced by a new Personal Independence Payment programme (Directgov).This is a non-means tested, tax free benefit. The DWP is to run a pilot scheme to help assist and reintroduce claimants back into the job market (Mitra, 2009), this will lead to employers paying short term benefits rather than the state. In Sweden it is the Local government responsibility for welfare services. It was from the 13th century that the first local legislation was seen as the responsibility of the local parish to take care of the poor (Bergmark & Minas, 2006, p. 15).The Swedish health system for people with disabilities are that national policy is plainly maintained by legislation and political agreement (Lilja et al, 2003). Swedish disability systems are organised in 3 hierarchical levels; the state, the county councils and the local authorities. However, this responsibility has expired over time and the national government decided to place a great deal of the responsibility for public services on the local authorities (Lilja et al, 2003). In Sweden policies relating to people with disabilities is provided through integration, full contribution and equality.Ministry of Health and social affairs (2000) reported the Swedish parliament had adopted a national policy for individuals with disabilities; they should have the same rights and obligations as everyone and be offered equal resources no matter where they lived (Lilja et al, 2003). While central government is to blame of legislation, general designing and distribution similarly as social insurance, authorities (municipalities) are answerable for social services, and regional government (county councils) for health care.Municipal social services additionally the} health and medical services of county councils are ruled by framework legislation that specifies the framework and objectives of activities however that also affords municipalities and county councils ample chance to interpret the law and form their activities in line with their own pointers People with disabilities will apply for municipal grants to change their homes.Actions like housing with special services for adults, or daily activities for those that are inactive and not enrolled in education are regulated by the Act regarding Support and repair for Persons with sure purposeful Impairments. County councils and municipalities are answerable for that health care help and is provided within the type of rehabilitation and habilitation. however there has been ongoing discussion regarding shifting a number of the price from state as a full to the individual user within the type of increasing the little fees some county councils and native authorities need and presumably reducing subsidies.While central government is in charge of legislation, general planning and distribution as well as social insurance, local authorities (municipalities) are responsible for social services, and regional government (county councils) for health care. Municipal social services and the health and medical services of county councils are governed by framework legislation which specifies the framework and objectives of activities but which also affords municipalities and county councils ample opportunity to interpret the law and shape their activities according to their own guidelines (Olney & Lyle, 2011).More than 70 organisations represent specific disability groups with 2,000 local associations. These organisations receive financial backing from the state, county councils and local authorities (Bahle, 2003). High spending on disability and unemployment helps to prevent poverty and social exclusion in these groups. The local authorities and county councils together have the basic responsibility for ensuring that people with disabilities are guaranteed good health and economic and social stability, and also for enabling the individual to lead an independent life.People with disabilities can apply for municipal grants to modify their homes. Actions such as housing with special services for adults, or daily activities for those who are inactive and not enrolled in education are regulated by the Act Concerning Support and Service for Persons with Certain Functional Impairments. County councils and municipalities are responsible for that health care assistance and is provided in the form of rehabilitation and habilitation.But there has been ongoing discussion about shifting some of the cost from state as a whole to the individual user in the form of increasing the small fees some county councils and local authorities require and possibly reducing subsidies. Country by Country The form of the welfare state that emerged was The ‘social state' of Germany began in the late 19th century when Bismarck was concerned the political left would oppose his place in power, he decided to introduce welfare provision into Germany to gain support from the left (Esping-Anderson, 1998).Bismarck's basic idea was th at people who were in work would pay into a scheme and this money would be distributed back to the poor (Ginsburg, 1993), he introduced the world's first State Social Insurance Scheme in 1883 (Bryson, 1992). The welfare system was about the basic needs of the state, with individuals helping themselves, the state would only intervene if it was absolutely necessary (Ginsburg, 1993). It was upon this base that Germany placed the future of welfare provision. Between 1950 and 1970 Germany's welfare system started to take shape.Interested in individual well being, the Christian, Catholic and Trade Unionists sections of the Government were introducing policies to increase job security (George, 1996). The neo- liberal ideas of strong market economy, individualism and democratic culture paired with the egalitarian approach to policy saw very distinctive priorities forming, of liberalism, conservative. Another example of how a corporatist system works in practice can be seen in the way a new insurance scheme for long term care was introduced in Germany in the mid-1990s.Time limited benefits was introduced in disability systems by the government via social insurance or social assistance programs (Mitra, 2009). The German welfare system is comprehensive and generous Social insurance lies at the heart of German social welfare. The disabled are also served by a broad range of medical and vocational programs designed to provide them with humane living conditions. Statutory social insurance programs are responsible for meeting the various needs of their members who become disabled.In addition, government agencies at the federal, Land, and local levels seek to provide employment and help with special housing and transportation provisions. Employment of the disabled is furthered by federal legislation that requires firms employing more than fifteen persons to reserve 6 percent of positions for the disabled or to make annual compensatory payments My hypothesis is, Germany and Sw eden disability programmes have a strong history with non-profit organisations that help support provisions for the disabled stronger than Britain’s profit based organizations.But on the other hand a result of social policies that are too strongly oriented towards the past on the one hand and sustainable conservative family patterns on the other, very little importance is attached to disability social policy contexts. CONCLUSION There is no longer a distinction between Germany’s contribution-based and Britain’s tax-based funding of welfare state programs, but in practice these two models have come together, as most social-insurance schemes are funded by a mixture of employer/employee contributions and grants from general state incomes.Contribution-based schemes, which are funded and administered independent of the government budget and in which members have vested benefits, have in history tended to be more generous and less prone to cutbacks than tax-funded sch emes, which the state can cut back when tax revenues are limited or an anti welfare state political party comes to power. It is, however, important to stress that there are considerable differences between the lives of disabled people and the type of welfare benefits across the European welfare system.The two decisive but interconnected differences consist of the amount to which the public sector takes the individual or the family as its point of departure and the degree to which disabilities is seen as a stage of life in its own right or how each individual is assessed. Welfare pluralism suggests that all welfare provisions will be provided by all the five providers in all countries in the future and less state/public responsibility. ?REFERENCES Bahle, T. (2003) ‘The changing institutionalization of social services in England and Wales, France and Germany: is the welfare state on the retreat? , Journal of European Social Policy, 13(5), pp. 5-20 Bergmark, A. and Minas, R. â₠¬ËœRescaling Social Welfare Policies in Sweden’ Institute for Future Studies [Online]. Available at: http://www. euro. centre. org/rescalingDocuments/files/Sweden. pdf (Accessed: 15 March 2012) Bode, I. 2006) ‘Disorganised welfare mixes: voluntary agencies and new governance regimes in Western Europe’, Journal of European Social Policy, 16(4), pp. 346-359 Clarke, J. , & Cochrane, A. (1993) Comparing Welfare States: Britain in International Context, London, Sage Etherington, D. & Ingold, J. (2012) ‘Welfare to work and the inclusive labour market: a comparative study of activation policies for disability and long-tern sickness benefit claimants in the UK and Denmark’, Journal of European Social Policy, 22(1) pp. 0-44 Haralambos & Holborn (2009) (7th edn) Sociology Themes and Perspectives, London, HarperCollinsPublishers Limited Huang, J. , Guo, B. , & Bricout, J. (2009) ‘From Concentration to Dispersion: The Shift in Policy Approach to Disability Employment’, Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 20(1) pp. 46-54 Landman, T. (2004) Isssues and Methods in Comparative Politics: an introduction. 3rd edn. Dawsonera [Online] Available at: http://www. dawsonera. com/depp/reader/protected/external/AbstractView/S9780203929780/S0. 78/0Lilja, M, Mansson, I, Jahlenius, L. , & Sacco-Peterson, M. (2003) ‘Disability Policy in Sweden: Policies Concerning Assistive Technology and Home Modification Services’, Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 14(3)pp. 130-135 Mitra, S. (2009) ‘Temporary and Partial Disability Programs in Nine Countries’, Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 20 (1) pp. 14-27 Olney, M. F. & Lyle, C. (2011) ‘The Benefits Trap: Barriers to Employment Experienced by SSA Beneficiaries’, Rehabilitation Counceling Bulletin, 54(4), pp. 197-209

Can Ethics be tought

The notion that ethics is a process of communication that gives way to new understandings and commitments to our social fife has been utilized herein to explore several questions. Should ethics teaching be via standalone modules or embedded in ethics discussion within curricula? Clearly both have merit yet we argue that authentic ethics discussions should pervade curriculum, be conceptualized and multifaceted. This attention to implementation and the notion of a possible ethics framework to structure student experiences was explored.Key Words : Ethics, Teaching, Curriculum, Instruction Introduction Ethics is often presented in classes by well meaning educators as a moral philosophy hat infuses critically assumed beliefs which are used to search for a good† human life. To most this is a classical understanding, however if we were to suggest ethics could be inherent in the duties humans owe to each other we would be touching upon a modern understanding. Educators and students con fronted with these understandings may frequently face a predicament.The educator may discover or currently know that they cannot teach ethics because of religious (spiritual) and cultural disagreements linked to what should be taught (curriculum). Many students draw upon background pre-understandings and are perplexed when confronted with ethical understandings of both peers and professors (Emerson & Convoy, 2004). To choose to not discuss ethics may be a safer path yet avoidance sends messages that this topic is a private matter and not suitable for discussion.It is not a private matter yet avoiding discussion of ethics at all levels of education may only fuel mystification and/or ignorance. Discussing ethics should not be a private matter it should be within educational programs and rightly so, according to the many business school deans who rank ethics among the top five learning goals for their programs (Martial & Cauldron, 2005). Herein, we could consider ethics as, the general study of goodness and the general study of right action †¦ [which] constitute the main business of ethics.Its principal substantive questions are what ends we ought, as fully rational human beings, to choose and pursue and what moral principles should govern our choices and pursuits. (Audio, 1995, p. 3) This study of right action could be viewed as a system of rules or principles rooted in the legal system however ethics can also be understood as a set of skills (acts) yet this understanding has limitations. Ultimately, we can view ethics as a process of life. Our argument is that we should discuss ethics in educational programs order to develop our understandings and enrich our lives.Our present day society is reeling from ethical wrongdoing (crime) and challenges (bad decisions) reported in the media yet these ethically challenged people behind these scandals share a common experience, school. O Centre for Promoting Ideas, USA www. Subsistent. Com Perhaps, each person attend ed school until the law no longer required them to attend or until the person attending deemed they were ready to leave school. Many complete only secondary school and work their way into executive positions; some go Arthur and deeper in post-secondary stepping directly into professional roles.The path we examine is of importance herein since the following words address and illuminate the teaching of ethics at the post-secondary level within the subject area of business over the past thirty years and we ask: Can ethics be taught? Secondly, if it is to be taught, than how should it be taught? 1. 0 Curriculum: Can ethics be taught? Current research and the researchers behind this research were searching to discover the root causes of well reported ethical problems, dilemmas and challenges in all areas of society (Frank, Bookie, & Garnished, 2010).The investigation of unethical activity may lead back to a common experience point for the people within the scandal and that often is schoo l. Herein we launch into a cursory inspection (due to page limitations) of the construction and delivery of curricula within business at the post-secondary level over the past thirty years. We illuminate the issues and discover if there is or was a linkage between what is, or is not taught, and the causes of unethical behavior which has inspired many researchers to take an even closer look at how texts are written and how professors teach within business courses.Stark (1993) indicated that the unethical behavior is not the result of an absence of business ethics curriculum since, â€Å"over 500 business-ethics courses are currently taught on American campuses; fully 90% of the nation†s business schools now provide some kind of training in the area† (p. 38). Perhaps the problem lies not in the sheer number of ethics courses offered, but possibly the ethics courses are not being taken seriously (Emerson & Convoy, 2004; Stephens & Stephens, 2008).Alternatively, it could be that professors, who hold questionable ethical philosophies, inadvertently rejecting this onto their students or it could be a dearth of real life† application in textbook case studies (Wittier, 2004). The reason for our current predicament is puzzling. There exists an argument as to whether or not ethics should be taught in a post-secondary environment (Ritter, 2006). Dodo (1997) explains that, â€Å"†¦ The primary reason for discussing ethical issues in the business classroom is for the students to develop a process which considers the ethical implications of business decisions† (p. 96). Weber (1990) reviewed four studies and found that three of the four indicated a costive shift in ethical reasoning as a result of ethics education. Boyd (1981) indicated an increase in moral reasoning and Stead & Miller (1988) saw an increase to students† awareness and sensitivity towards social issues following ethics coursework. Burton, Johnston and Wilson (1991) also sh owed an increase of ethical awareness when compared to a control group within their research.Even though published research has indicated that ethics education improves ethical attitude, there are others that have shown a negative relationship (Cohen & Bennie, 2006; Stephens & Stephens, 2008). Crag (1997) argued that ethics cannot be taught and a study conducted by Bishop (1992) further supported this assertion. Bishop (1992) concluded, that â€Å"another interesting criticism of ethics is that as long as we have laws that dictate what is permissible; we do not need courses in ethics† (p. 294). Pavement (1991) found that† †¦ There are serious flaws in the very foundation of the business ethics course – [and] ethical theory itself† (p. 92) because most of what is provided in business ethics texts does not involve ethical dilemmas and many instructors place too much emphasis on ethical situations dealing with policy Pavement, 1991). Crag (1997) and Ritte r (2006) unidentified other groups, such as, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (CABS international) who have questioned this dilemma. Ritter (2006) suggested, â€Å"academics concerned about including ethical decommissioning strategies or other content in their classroom are hard pressed to find simple answers in either the theoretical or empirical research† (p. 153).Perhaps this situation arises due to the fact that within Goldberg†s Theoretical Model on Moral Development, â€Å"character development has already occurred by the time an individual reaches college age† (Ritter, 2006, p. 154). McCabe et al. (1994) supported this perspective while researching MBA students utilizing the Research Terminal Values Scale as a means to gauge the ethical predisposition of respondents; similar to what was done in the 1994 study conducted by Skull and Costa. This longitudinal study used the same sample of respondents over a two year period, yielding n o significant changes in their ethical attitude.Areola and Lurch (1983) also conducted a similar study where respondents were contacted years after administration of the original study, indicating a deterioration of ethical attitude. 45 1. 1 Morals and Ethics. Churchill (1992) believed that there was a misconception behind whether or not ethics can be trained because many who attempted to answer this question often confused the terms â€Å"ethics† and â€Å"morals† suggesting they shared a similar meaning. He defined morals as the behaviors of a human and ethics as a â€Å"†¦ Systematic rational reflection upon that behavior† (p. 297).Crag (1997) noted a similar distinction between moral standards and ethics when he stated: I do not want to teach moral standards; I want to teach a method of moral reasoning wrought complex ethical issues so that the students can apply the moral standards they have in his view, the primary function is to teach ethical systems of analysis, not moral standards of behavior. (p. 19) Being able to teach ethics within a program requires instructors to be able to grasp the process of moral reasoning to a point where this can be taught as a necessary route to arrive at ethically sound outcomes.Instructors therefore need to have an understanding of the moral relationship with ethics, something that may take a great deal of experience with the unique curricula o fully grasp. Gunderson, Capitol and Raja (2008) supported the development and implementation of ethics curriculum suggesting â€Å"individuals should become more ethical as they increase their educational accomplishments because of increasing exposure in both receiving and administering ethics curricula† (p. 315). Hence, the ethics course advances along with the instructor†s understanding of the ethics curricula and related instructional theory. . 2 Teaching ethics: Goal establishment. Regardless of the method of instruction utilized to deliv er business ethics; strategic Laos and objectives must be first identified within the curricula. Weber (1990) believed that ethics instruction must achieve some goal or set of goals before integrating it into the curricula. For instance, Belton and Sims (2005) highlighted several goals when teaching business ethics at the undergraduate level, stating, 1 . Assist student in the formation of their personal values and moral ideas, 2. Introduce them to the broad range of moral problems facing their society and world, 3.Provide them contact with important ethical theories and moral traditions and 4. Give them he opportunity to wrestle with problems of applied business ethics, whether personal or professional. (p. 388) Bishop (1992) also reported a set of ethical curriculum objectives created by The College of Business. Similar to the objectives outlined by the Belton and Sims (2005) study, The College of Business wanted to help guide and plan the implementation of ethics curriculum. Belt on and Sims (2005) suggested that it is also vitally important to know the backgrounds of each of the students.Some cohorts of students might have a mixture of backgrounds, while in another cohort students might be composed of tauter students coming directly from industry for retraining. In order to achieve goals or objectives, approaches to curriculum might be based on the backgrounds of the students in the classroom. Belton and Sims (2005) explain: Students, especially those with little exposure to the larger world, often bring to the classroom values that they have adopted from their parents, church affiliations, peer groups, or similar persons or forces of influence.The students in their thinking and actions simply reflect the values of their reference groups without having examined or evaluated them. P. 389) Business ethics education is about helping the student bring to consciousness their own set of values, but also, recognize how their values may conflict with the values of the business world (Belton and Sims, 2005). Ritter (2006) agreed and concluded that ethics education must be relevant to the student in order for it to transfer once they have graduated and are out working. 1. Coursework: The stand-alone ethics course. Offering business ethics as a stand-alone course or integrating it across the curriculum has sparked much debate. Henderson (1988) believed that by offering rouses solely devoted to business ethics † .. Sends a powerful message: A top priority at this school is for all students to know and follow the generally accepted rules of business† (p. 53). Weber (1990) identified, in a national survey of graduate and undergraduate students, that fifty three percent of students prefer to have a separate course in ethics.More recently, the CABS†s Ethics Education Task Force (2004) put forward this position: Business schools must encourage students to develop a deep understanding of the myriad challenges surrounding corporate res ponsibility and corporate governance; revive them with tools for recognizing and responding to ethical issues, both personally and organizationally; and engage them at an individual level through analyses of both positive and negative examples of everyday conduct in business (p. 9).What is certain is that ethical dilemmas occur, and within a context that is not always reproducible in coursework. Understanding and applying rules is but one half of the equation within an ethical dilemma because â€Å"the typical approach to ethical dilemmas is a two-step process: we locate a rule, and then we assume or Judge that it applies to our situation† (Labeled, 1985, p. 5). It is the ability to Judge or evaluate, which is a higher order thinking skill, which challenges us to do the right thing† within a situation. 1. 4 Embedding ethics curriculum.Researchers such as Ritter (2006); Ukuleles (1988) and Dodo (1997) argue that stand- alone courses are disconnected from real-world appli cation and that ethics must be integrated throughout the curriculum. Wynn and Meager (1989) conducted a study only to discover no significant changes in ethical decision making took place as a result of taking a course in ethics. Saul (1981) suggested that in order for business ethics to succeed, ethical considerations must be woven into every aspect of the â€Å"decision making repertoire as economic ones† (p. 273).Belton and Sims (2005) further supports this by stating â€Å"ethics is embedded in all business decision-making. A given decision may be described as marketing, production, or financial decision, but ethical dimensions are intertwined in the decision† (p. 381). Even if ethical decision making is integrated into business curriculum, Sims (2002) argued that the success of this approach would materialize only if the entire faculty and administration were in agreement. Alternatively, Stephens and Stephens, (2008) concluded: Ethics courses may be resulting in b etter ethical decision making.Perhaps alerting students to ethical violations is making them more aware of their decisions in the workplace. The results indicate that requiring an ethics course does make an immediate (albeit perhaps short term) difference in ethical decision making or in assessing potential ethical/unethical behavior. (p. 54) The variety of opinion is easy to find within the last few years hence the problematic nature of our question Should we (can we) teach ethics in classes?If yes, then how must it be done to achieve desired outcomes? 1. 5 Effective implementation. Ritter makes mention in her 2006 study that â€Å"†¦ Most theorists suggest that given the proper implementation, an ethics curriculum can be designed for effective learning† (p. 154). A study conducted by David, Anderson and Lawrence (1990) reported that only 24% of the respondents indicated that ethical issues were emphasized throughout their program.Surprisingly this study concluded, Full y 92% of respondents indicated they never attended a business ethics seminar in college; 80% never had a course in business ethics; 92% never wrote a business ethics term paper; 75% never heard a faculty lecture on ethics; and 56% never participated in a case study with ethics issues. (p. 29) The results of this study can be linked to a current study that concluded â€Å"professors are ill prepared or uncertain about how best to teach accounting ethics† (Frank, Bookie & Garnished, 2010).Alternatively, perhaps, it is not that ethics cannot be taught, but rather, how ethics education is delivered which might be the reason for poor ethical attitude amongst students and recent graduates. Ritter (2006) identified a multitude of perspectives throughout the iterate, and determined three common questions surfaced frequently which asked: â€Å"how [should we] teach ethics in business school, what to teach, and even if [we should] teach it at all† (p. 153). Burton et al. (1991) indicated that students preferred discussing ethical business scenarios instead of a lecture that is philosophical in nature.Researchers Pizzicato and Evil (1996) discovered that only 10% of the students preferred lectures, and yet this approach had been used 68% of the time. Students did, however, express their preference for class discussions when learning about business ethics (Pizzicato & Evil, 1996). More recently, Pettifog, Stay and Opaque (2000) conducted two-day workshops on ethics in psychology and after the workshop, the different teaching approaches used throughout (lectures, questions and answers, group discussions, videotapes, recommended readings, problem-solving, essays and exams) were rated by the participants.Ethical discussions for the workshop were divided into several categories: philosophy and theories of ethics, codes of ethics and guidelines, ethical decision-making, ethical sensitivity, legal issues, disciplinary issues and selfsameness. Preferred teaching ap proaches varied depending on the topic. 7 For example, when discussing philosophy and theories of ethics, respondents preferred lecturing and answering questions, whereas, students preferred discussing vignettes when reviewing codes of ethics, ethical dilemma decision making and sensitivity to ethical issues.When learning about legal aspects of ethics and disciplinary matters, respondents preferred video (visual). Pettifog et al. (2000) identified a unanimous rejection of the traditional approaches to learning: writing essays and studying for exams, but it was noted that essays or exams were not used throughout the workshops. Most intriguing, Pettifog et al. 2000) explained that the most effective teaching approach, not only depends on the student†s learning styles, but also depends on what is being taught (content). Preceding this research, Burton et al. 1991) also supported these findings, indicating a strong preference for in-class discussions of hypothetical scenarios vers us philosophical lectures on ethics. This 1991 study also indicated that gender and teaching method did not produce any results of significance (Burton et al. ). Earlier research conducted by Webber (1990) indicated that 50% percent of participant students felt as though ethics was not tresses enough and 53% felt as though a separate ethics course should be offered. 1. 6 Normative theory: A framework. Bishop (1992) defined a philosophically-oriented approach to ethics as â€Å". Rigorous in terms of theory, logical foundations, and abstract conceptualizations of business ethics problems† (p. 293). Later in the decade Dodo (1997) investigated students at a particular school who were required to complete an undergraduate degree with courses in philosophy and religion. It was these philosophy courses where utilitarian theories, deontological theories, theories of Justice and theories of rights were explored. The ethics content was infused in the curricula and yet the courses lac ked practical application depending predominately on theory.This imperfection within curriculum is commonplace and can be traced back to academic valuing of theory within course content over authentic societal issues, problems and dilemmas. Bringing the daily news and event s into the classroom is a start but threading this authentic content into curricula is a goal however; is this proper way to teach ethics? It may be a popular more with students but professors may not value this approach. Doing what is right and acting within a context calls upon each person†s understanding and perception, it is â€Å"not simply a matter of following rules or calculating consequences.It is a matter of discerning which rule are called into play in a situation † (Labeled, 1985, p. 29). Your values, morals and philosophical orientation among other variables come into play as your very perception filters the events. This fact can change the manner in which we teach a course in ethics as we need to discuss how one can make a distinction from what is important to that which is less so. 1. Issues: Students and Curricula Pavement (1991) contended, â€Å"what may be clear to the trained philosopher is not at all clear to the student.Philosophers have had extensive training in logical analysis and argumentation† (Pavement, 1991, p. 387). In many instances, students who register for an ethics class, are usually at the very introductory stages of learning philosophy and are not able to apply these abstract and sometimes contradicting philosophies to business scenarios (Pavement, 1991; Tuneless,2008). Pavement (1991) goes on to say â€Å"†¦ The texts† lack of specificity of method for applying theory, ND the lack of resolution in dealing with competing theories, is compounded by the professor teaching the course† (p. 387).For instance, even the Normative values framework is quite expansive and based upon several theoretical frameworks, for example: Egoism (hedonistic or otherwise), consequentialness utilitarian and non-, act or rule utilitarianism, moral sense theories, a veritable menagerie of deontological theories of varying stringiness, constitutionalism, natural law theories, etc. , are all in hot contention for the exclusive franchise on the Good and the Right. (Miller, 1991, p. 397) To expect a student entering an ethics course to have a grasp of these theoretical frameworks seems somewhat unfair to the student.It now becomes a challenge to identify a starting point in any ethics course. We need to know from the onset of the course, the level of preparedness of each student. Failing this, the course could literally miss its mark as the content could be too advanced. Historically researchers such as Farman (1990) explained that using a principle- based approach to learning ethics, assumes students are functioning at Goldberg†s autonomous stage, but it was through Farman†s experience she concluded that most de nts have difficulties breaking free from ethical relativism.Interestingly, Pavement (1991) analyzed two hundred syllabi and was able to identify an examination question that created confusion and influenced students to think in a relativistic or subjective way. 48 Pavement (1991) stated, â€Å"this typical question asks the student to analyze and discuss a particular business situation using â€Å"either† utilitarian or deontological theory †¦ The professor thinks that the use of either one is K† (p. 388).Farman (1990) added that poor ethical attitude â€Å"cannot be remedied in the course of a ten-week ethics lass; a reflection of my failure as a teacher; or, more significantly, a measure of the impracticality of teaching ethics in this way? ‘ (p. 32). Dodo (1997) explained that philosophy courses are usually offered in a department separate from the business department. These courses offer very little practical application that usually results in a weak t ransfer of ethical reasoning in a business context (Dodo, 1997).Offering a course from within the business department provides students with an opportunity to consider ethical decision making as it relates to everyday business activities. Business ethics provides a link from what is learnt in a philosophy course to what students are faced with once they get out into the work world. Dodo (1997) explains that there must be cooperation between the philosophy department and the business department to ensure students receive a balance between theoretical reasoning and their application into today†s world.Robertson (1993) defined normative research as † .. The values, norms, or rules of conduct which govern ethical behavior and which are presented as an ideal† and argued that much of the research in business ethics lacked validity because searchers did not incorporate these theories into their studies† (p. 586). Some studies in the area of business ethics are groun ded in normative theory while others are not. For example, Warner (1988) conducted a study on the rights of individuals and responsibilities of shareholders during a merger and acquisition.

ELL Schools and Families Essay

The population of English Language Learners (ELL) are increasing in educational institutions primarily influenced by globalization and immigration. It has been projected that within the coming years, the percentage of children attending educational institutions in the country shall be non-English speakers. The term ELL is brought about by the shift in the English language-learning paradigm that represents the trend in language acquisition. (Bank Street) The increasing population of ELL’s are putting pressures on the educational atmosphere as educational institutions are forced to alter their curriculum to accommodate the needs and concerns of the learners. (Abedi, 2002) Integrating a program for ELL’s in the school setting is a great challenge for the educational institution, the teacher, the learner, and one’s family. Teaching non-English speakers who are not able to both understand and speak the language is more difficult than teaching English speakers the rules of the language are, for instance. Challenges include the need for educational institutions to implement a curriculum that fits the requirements of the ELL’s. Teachers, on the other hand need to be aware of the appropriate techniques and strategies that would be efficient in the success of language accommodation and acculturation. For learners, engaging in an unfamiliar environment is not motivating them to eagerly learn. (Mercuri, 2003) To address the problems and concerns that ELL’s face in the learning environment, society looks to the involvement of the family in order to strengthen the school as an institution that fully supports English language learners. (Collier & Thomas, 1999) Family involvement play a significant role during the learning process of ELL’s. According to a research conducted in order to determine guidelines that the No Child Left Behind Act shall implement, the involvement of family members to school activities such as programs that aims to promote development of academic standing and preparation for the next level of English language learning increases the chance of successes that a learner shall be able to accomplish. This is because families understand the needs and the difficulties of their children, and are also able to see their progress with regards to academics, pushing them to encourage, support, and value learning as an integral part of their children’s success. (Epstein, 2004) Moreover, it is the responsibility of the school to build a relationship with the family of the learner in order to inform them of the developmental stages and the changes that the children are going to experience, as they grow older. This particular knowledge gives families the idea of how to build a supportive home environment that boosts learning. This particular interaction between the school and the family allows the educational institution to understand the cultural background of families and determine their goals and objectives for their children when it comes to English language learning. (Epstein, 2004) Providing a supportive sociocultural environment is at the heart of tapping into the potential of ELL’s to benefit largely from the English language learning program. Interaction between the educational institution and the families contributes to this objective. Looking at their parents interact with the members of the educational institution motivates learners to build relationships with the institution as well, without any apprehensions as brought about by fear of cultural rejection. (Collier & Thomas, 1999) An article written by Rhona Barton for the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory discovers cases wherein active involvement of parents leads to academic success of the learners, especially in socially interacting within the school environment. (Barton, 2006) Educational institutions with English language learning programs do not necessarily implement the use of the English language at home, as decisions regarding the matter are based on cultural considerations. Schools should consider the importance of native language to ELL’s and their families. However, the continued use of English at home and the support of the family when it comes to home language speeds up the learning process, schools still acknowledge that the ELL’s are aware of language learning based on their knowledge of their native language. (Ortiz, 2001) Schools should also provide alternatives for families in order for them to adjust or cope with the changes that ELL affects within their family life. Schools should inform them of educational options such as tutorial services that are made available at home or in schools, support groups within the community that assists families in their needs and concerns regarding the issue of English language learning. Family counseling is also an option as it allows medical professionals to help in determining problems or obstacles that the family shall be facing, and strengthening family relationships in order to withstand the challenges of immersing into a community and cultural environment that they are not familiar with. For specific problems such as financial aspect of English language learning, the federal government entitles families to funding as authorized by the federal Title I funding program. (Ortiz, 2001) Partnership of educational institutions with families are best established through communication and social interaction. Schools should be able to develop and maintain a stable relationship with the families that is primarily grounded on the objective of affecting learning and making ELL’s experience success within the unfamiliar learning environment. Moreover, through this, schools are enriched and enlightened with the knowledge of different cultural backgrounds within the school environment and be able to modify the learning atmosphere to fit the culture, beliefs, and traditions of non-English speakers. Teachers should be able to communicate the needs and concerns of ELL’s to their families, in order for them to understand how they are going accommodate the needs of their children who are involved in English language learning. Schools should establish regular meetings with the teachers, and ask them to get involved with programs and school activities that harness English language learning and support the need of their children to learn the English language. If possible, home visitations are one of the best ways to establish a strong foundation of relationship between the school and the families. (Barton, 2006) References Abedia, J. (2002). â€Å"Assessment and Accommodation of English Language: Issues, Concerns, and Recommendations. † Retrieved May 1, 2008, from NCA Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. Website: http://www. ncacasi. org/jsi/2002v3i1/assessment Bank Street. (2008). â€Å"English Language Learners: Working with Children Whom English is a New Language. † Retrieved May 1, 2008, from Bank Street. Website: http://www. bnkst. edu/literacyguide/ell. html Barton, R. (2006). â€Å"Forging Family Ties. † Retrieved May 2, 2008, from Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. Website: http://www. nwrel. org/nwedu/11-03/forge/ Collier, V. P. & Thomas, W. P. (1999). â€Å"Making U. S. Schools Effective for English Language Learners, Part 3. † TESOL Matters, Vol. 9, No. 6. Retrieved May 1, 2008, from TESOL. Website: http://www. tesol. org/s_tesol/sec_document. asp? CID=196&DID=826 Epstein, J. (2004). â€Å"Meeting NCLB Requirements for Family Involvement. † Middle Ground, Vol. 4, No. 3. Retrieved May 1, 2008, from National Middle School Association. Website: http://www. nmsa. org/portals/0/pdf/publications/On_Target/family_involvement/family_9. pdf Mercuri, S. (2003). â€Å"Helping Middle and High School Age English Language Learners Achieve Academic Success. † NABE Journal of Research and Practice. Retrieved May 1, 2008. Website: http://www. uc. edu/njrp/pdfs/freeman. pdf Ortiz, A. (2001). â€Å"English Language Learners With Special Needs: Effective Instructional Strategies. † Retrieved May 2, 2008, from CAL. Website:

Nomination Essay

â€Å"Educators exist to perpetuate cultures and the human species; to teach young people the qualities they need to perpetuate culture and the human species. To do that, you have to fight apathy, greed and irresponsibility.† This is what Virginia L. Nikolich firmly believes, and as a teacher, she sees to it that this belief is handed down to her students. Teacher Ginny, as what most of her students call her, is not just an average teacher. She is a devoted instructor that deals with special education, teaching not only the normal K-12 students but also children who have a variety of disabilities. This means that as a Special Education teacher, she must be able to oversee these students’ behavioral, social, and academic development. Being a special education teacher may be considered as a hard and challenging task for most of the people, but that is not all for Teacher Ginny. She does not only teach special children, but she also teaches normal boys and girls. But again, for teacher Ginny, it’s still not all. She teaches both special and special children at the same time, same place, and with the same lessons. As a devoted agent of knowledge, she did not back away from teaching these children at the same time. She is co-teaching with another instructor on the subject of Biology. As Special educators, they are expected to design and teach the appropriate curricula for their students. They have to tailor all the works and activities in response for their needs and disabilities, like state and federal standards, grading and paperwork standards, as well as the monitoring of the student’s performance. It is her task to create Individualized Education plan for the special students which serves as her teaching guide. But what makes Virginia L. Nikolich from other teachers in her field of specialty? According to teacher Ginny her personality and professional life are the products of her education. She considers teaching as another learning process, which is why she chose to be in that profession for most of her life. She learned to blend in the day-to-day lessons which she gets from teaching. She continued to grow, not only as a teacher but also as a learner. She learned to blend the subject matter which Biology, to special education, and even computer degrees education. As she continues to teach, the more she learns about the things around her. She wishes to share everything she learned with everyone she teaches. As a small influence, she dreams of having big effects to different people in the feature. One of the aspects in her life, teacher Ginny values the support that her family has never failed to support her in everything she does. The value of the family is a good aspect to start with, and that it is probably the most influential for teacher Ginny. With her family background and experience, she became diligent, persistent, and conscientious flexible, compassionate and kind: the traits which her students greatly valued and appreciated. As a professional educator, Virginia L. Nikolich followed all the rules and has improvised in some, depending on the needs of the student. Teacher Ginny, as most know her, is definitely one of the best teachers in her field.

Optical Properties of Liquid Crystals and LCD Displays Research Paper

Optical Properties of Liquid Crystals and LCD Displays - Research Paper Example The liquid crystals are used in various consumer audiovisual devices among other office gadgets such as calculators, cell phones, digital cameras, watches, stereos, clocks, laptop computers and other personal organizers. The LCDs are also applied as instruments information display in automobiles speedometers, clocks and navigation aids. Nevertheless, there are a number of competing display technologies such as the light emitting diodes (LEDs), the plasma displays (PDs), and the organic light-emitting diodes. Liquid crystal displays incorporate the unique properties of certain materials, nematic, selected smectic and cholesteric liquids. In certain liquid phases, the materials exhibit some electro-optic effects attributed to crystals. A typical liquid crystal display contains two electrodes or polarizer. A liquid crystal film material plugs the space between the two electrodes (Gu 2010, p. 6). Glass fibers are used as spacers that keep the thickness of the liquid crystals uniform within a range of 5Â µ to 10Â µ (Koide 2014, p. 86). The plates are also known as the polarizers, which are usually orientated at 900 to one another. The twisted phase commonly serves to reorient light that passes through the first plate, which consequently allows the transmission of the light through the second polarizer. When an electric field is applied to the liquid crystal layer, the molecular axes align parallel to the electric field and untwist. In such a state, light is not oriented making the polarized light from the first polarizer, which leads to loss of transparency with a further increase in voltage. This electric field property can be applied in making a pixel switch between the opaque and the transparent on command.

Museography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Museography - Essay Example he same meaning as globalisation, these terms are far from the present definition of globalisation and far from appropriately expressing the status of contemporary art. Globalisation at present is defined as the growth of the relationship of nations beyond territories (Scholte 42) which in if examined further, means a relationship that is not limited by territorial boundaries of countries. The global relationship that is free from the restrictions of territory gives way to the further exploration of cultures, customs and economic practices of other nations while also providing the chance of explorative collaboration of nations with a common goal of improving bonds and creating innovations among nations. Moreover, globalisation in this sense means crossing even the boundaries set by society on matters that are socially acceptable and those considered taboo by the public. After clearly defining the term globalisation in relation to Hou Hanru’s statement, it is now easy to analyze the effects of the contemporary definition globalisation to the art world relative to Hou Hanru’s statement on promoting different cultures and fusing these cultures through art. Analyzing the effects of globalisation to the art world would mean looking into every perspective of the connection between the concept of globalisation and art. Some angles that would help in better understanding of the interrelation between globalisation and art are the readiness of nations to accept differences in cultures and art ideas; the willingness to fuse art concepts; and the openness to incorporate new ideas and elements into concepts of art. The preparedness of nations in accepting cultures and concepts of other nations taking into consideration that some cultures and ideas may have some conflict points with each other would be an area of concern because this may cause misunderstanding among nations. For instance, an incident in the Interpol art exhibition in Sweden wherein the art event was to

Young Alumni Trustee, Senior Class Gift, and Bryant Senior Advisory Essay

Young Alumni Trustee, Senior Class Gift, and Bryant Senior Advisory Council - Essay Example Finally, in September 2006 the Young Alumni Trustee was named but the reorganization had left the members of the Senior Class Gift Committee with no clear responsibility The Young Alumni Trustee is a position on the Board of Trustees that is granted to a graduating senior each year. The successful program had been in effect since 1996 and each member that is awarded the position serves a three-year term. By April 2006, the selection committee had settled on two finalists, Cathleen Doan and Brian Levin. The winner was to be announced at commencement ceremonies on May 20. On April 25, 2006, students received an e-mail re-opening the application process and encouraging students to reapply. The selection committee justified their actions based on low student interest and lack of diversity among the applicants. Doan and Levin were still considered finalists, but Laurie Musgrove, Vice President of University Advancement, said they were seeing if "other students should be joining them as finalists". Robin Warde, Interim Director of Alumni Relations, said the concern was the small number of original student applicants. Warde noted that only 5 members of the class of 661 had been interviewed and said, "something different needed to be done". Doan and Levin resigned their position as finalists in protest of the move to reopen the process. In a letter to the administration announcing their withdrawal they noted that, "we are questioned, not on our merit, but on our diversity". While no one on the campus discounted the need for diversity, committee member Michael Oliveri supported Doan and Levin and contended, "we feel it inappropriate at this point in the process to be forcing it in". He felt the changes should have been made in the following year. It was apparent that the board had been remiss in addressing this problem sooner. According to Warde, they had been concerned over lack of participation in previous years. Musgrove and Warde, however, waited until the finalists had been selected to make the last minute changes. Musgrove had some misgivings and expressed the "wish that timing could be different". She continued to encourage Doan and Levin to stay in the process and viewed their withdrawal with "disappointment and dismay". Doan and Levin stated that the controversial process was a, "blatant contradiction to the values, like character, and ethics that the institution stresses to the students in all aspects of the Bryant experience and community". They also made it clear that they would support whatever candidate that was appointed to the important position and asked only that the Young Alumni Trustee recognize the injustice and commit to questioning poorly made top down decisions. Their hope is that they can prevent this situation from occurring in the future. Before commencement ceremonies, the Board of Trustees took control of the nominating process after overriding the previous decisions made by the nominating board. President Ronald Machtley and BOT Chairman Thomas Taylor headed the new selection committee. No winner was announced at that time. In September 2006, the Bryant University Board of Trustees (BOT) named Saddi Williams as the 2006 Young Alumnus Trustee at their annual meeting during Homecoming Weekend. The BOT also established the Bryant Senior Advisory Council (BSA), a 30 member